Proud American wrote on Mar 15, 2006 1:49 AM:"Freshmen who arrive at Cal State San Marcos without adequate English and math skills." This statement in the story is absolutely misleading. A poor choice of words. The students don't just 'arrive' to CSUSM, they are accepted. And therein lies the problem. College is supposed to be higher education, so why are the standards for it being lowered? My guess is so as to fill quotas, or to 'reach out' to the 'diverse' community it serves. But how is the college serving the community (or its freshman students) by admitting them when they do not have "...adequate English and math skills."?I am sure it has to do with money and with the fact that the campus wants to appear socially progressive to those who would attend it. But appearances are not what they are cracked up to be. I repeat, college is supposed to be about higher learning, NOT educational catch-up time because the freshmen students do not posses adequate English and math skills. What is the solution to this problem? This is what the president of CSUSM said: "Karen Haynes, president of the San Marcos campus, acknowledged the severity of the situation in an interview. But Haynes said she is confident the campus can solve the problem quickly with extra resources and personnel." Here's a question for Karen Haynes: If money were they solution to this problem, then why wasn't this problem solved long before these freshman students arrived to CSUSM? Aren't the schools spending more money than ever? So if more money is the solution, why does the problem of failed proficiency exams in math or English persist amongst the freshman students who are admitted? Why not insist upon (and enforce) academic standards? Oh wait. I know why. It would be 'intolerant' to do so, right? Not Politically Correct? (How about politically expedient as well?)In the meantime, we have students who are back-tracking in education because they were admitted without passing proficiency exams: "The report also indicated that the percentage of freshmen who passed the proficiency exams increased from 43 percent in fall 2004 to 45 percent in fall 2005." Big whoop-de-do! Wow, this indicates that 55 percent of those taking the exam are not passing. How many are actually nevertheless admitted to the college? "Building partnerships with public school districts across the state is how system officials plan to boost the numbers." Hey! Here is a novel idea: How about building standards, and adhering to them? Partnerships which deal in student mediocrity (no matter how wonderfully organized or politically appeasing) still deal with mediocrity. Language barriers are to be expected if the student is a foreign exchange student. Am I to believe that all of the 817 incoming freshmen are foreign exchange students? I don't think so. So what is the problem? What is the underlying factor here? I believe it is the failure of institutions of higher learning to insistent and adhere to standards in English and Math requirements. After all, what would it look like if everyone in lower education who failed to meet the standards were actually held back?: #1: There would not be enough room nor educators to facilitate them. #2: Certain liberal Latino activists groups would file lawsuits claiming discrimination and racism. When, oh when, are our systems of higher education going to insist upon academic standards instead of trying to appease anyone and everyone in the name of diversity and Political Correctness? Will the president of CSUSM take the (now radical) position of actually turning away students who do not pass the proficiency exams in math or English because of STANDARDS? I don't believe it will happen. Politics has seeped into the crevices created in the foundations of higher learning, which themselves were created by virtue of the fact the complacency and mediocrity have become acceptable traits among both student and faculty alike. If more money is the solution, why is this problem not solved yet? Give us a dollar amount needed, and then go at it. I'll bet my soul you could have all the money you little political heart desires and still not solve the problem because the underlying issues would have remained untouched! (That being the fact the academic requirements and standards have gone out the window in the name of compassion, diversity, and Political Correctness.) I fear for the future of this country. (And I am disgusted with the academic leaders who continue to wax poetic meaningless and ineffective diatribes in their ivory towers overlooking the halls of our so-called modern higher education faculties.)

Horace wrote on Mar 15, 2006 2:34 AM:Illegal aliens- CSUSM has a higher proportion than other state college campuses, so it requires more resources to bring them up to speed. Is it any surprise that illegal immigration continues unabated? We should bill the government of Mexico for all the free services we provide to Mexican illegal immigrants. In the alternative, we should move the border south over 20 years until we have absorbed Mexico. It is apparent that the Mexican government care more for mordida than for the welfare of its residents.

DW wrote on Mar 15, 2006 8:10 AM:CSUSM is a joke compared to other state colleges. They are so concerned about multi-cultural awareness that they forget about standards, etc. White males are the devil in the eyes of most professors there. Maybe if they start accepting students based on gpa instead of simply being a majority (hispanics aren't minorities) that they wouldn't have to catch students up. Wake up America our society is getting dummied down by political correctness!

Bogus wrote on Mar 15, 2006 8:22 AM:This number will not improve because of the quota system. Can we just admit students on the merit system only? Where is the merit equality? Non Latinos descent students are on the short end of the stick.

Educated wrote on Mar 15, 2006 8:42 AM:It is clear how people only speak out of hate and ignorance. For your information, "illegal aliens" are not eligible for any "free" services in this country. Come on, I thouhg you knew better. we are talking about academics and not an immigration. Reality is that the academic standards in K-12 are failling. For your information, undocumented students who want to continue with their higher education are not eligible for any federal or state aid. They have to pay for their education our of their own pockets. They are not getting anything free, just like any other foreign student, they are paying for their education.

not surpised wrote on Mar 15, 2006 9:02 AM:FYI undocumented students do not qualify for financial aid. they have to pay for all of their expenses. so Horace, you are ignorant!

Ron wrote on Mar 15, 2006 9:03 AM:Why is anyone surprised by this? Thye talk of budget cuts, I defy any one to show me a single year where the budget was actually cut. Never happened. This is the same old lie told, over and over again. If money were the reason for kids failing, then I'd say, sure, let's increase. But the facts are, even if you increased teacher pay, and school district budgets tomorrow, these kids would not learn any faster, or better. Not to mention the curriculum being taught. These kids are more informed about contraceptives, and recycling than their own language. And you can't get rid of poort teachers. Several years ago in Vista (VUSD), we had a kindergarten teacher who was an internet predator. He was caught in an Oceanside motel, attempting to meet with a 14 yr. old girl. She was actually a FOX new reporter, and brought in the cops. He was put on administative leave pending action by the school board. He was eventually let go, but the fact that he was caught in the act should have been grounds for immediate firing. Instead, because of his union rights, he had to have hearings, and we paid until they were completed. What chance do you think you have with a poor teacher versus their tenure? None. You can't test them, they own the school boards. It's an absolute disgrace. And any one who wants to defend this should be ashamed. They will, instead, blame parents.

College Grad wrote on Mar 15, 2006 10:41 AM:Not proficient = not accepted, no matter who you are, green, purple or yellow. Go to community college, become proficient, and stop wasting time and money at the institutions of higher learning. Those schools should be teaching new and fresh concepts, not the basics. CSUSM will never attract a higher caliber of student so long as these problems exist.

Linda N. wrote on Mar 15, 2006 11:07 AM:Posted 3/15 11:01am. Don't you just love the happy talk that professional educators greet any bad news about their performance? "But Haynes said she is confident the campus can solve the problem quickly with extra resources and personnel." Get that -- if they have more money and more staff [who don't work for free, so that's more money, too], they can fix the problem. And more to the point, no high school that sent unprepared students or college-level instructor will face a moment's worry about their job security for the obvious failure to teach. These are the same folks who tried to get American History removed from the Palomar JC AA degree. Dumb, dumber and dumbest. And they keep on burbling out happy talk and "improvements" and pity talk about "disadvantaged, at-risk youth" and demanding more money.

Linda N. wrote on Mar 15, 2006 11:25 AM:Posted 3/15 11:11am. For those who think that we are talking about academics, not immigration, you are wrong. No matter what we are talking about in CA [with between 2 & 4 million illegals], we are REALLY talking about immigration. Consider this, education takes over half of our states $100+billion budget. 47% of our K-12 schools are hispanic and the Pew Hispanic Center research shows that 80% of the Hispanics in our nation are here illegally. The 2000 Census shows that for the first time in our state's history more citizens left the state than moved here from other states... and that our population grew by 4 million [at present rates, it will grow by 6 million in the next decade]that growth is almost entirely to immigration and births to immigrant mothers. Since illegal immigration is now double legal immigration, the poor performance of our students is due to the massive student population who have significant educational challenges ranging from poverty to frequent moves to no English spoken in their homes.